


Stars and Foxes

by Anonymous



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternative Universe - Spirits and Demons, Kitsune!Yusuke, Lol what's a beta, M/M, Shukita Reverse Big Bang, Some Fluff, Tags Are Hard, There's some fighting but probably not enough to warrent a warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-02 00:44:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20267251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Akira never asked to be the mediator between two worlds. But when you're living with a kitsune in your attic room, trouble simply finds you instead.





	Stars and Foxes

**Author's Note:**

> A huge thanks to [ErarousFire](https://littlechinaaru.tumblr.com/) for being the ever so patient collab partner, whose incredible artwork put this work to shame.
> 
> Haven't published anything in years so forgive my rust. This work fought me every step of the way.

The bell jingled as the door swung open.

“Welcome to LeBlanc! Could I interest you in some coffee and or curry? We have a special today with h-”

“Are you Kurusu Akira?”

Akira’s mouth snapped shut, his eyes narrowing at the newcomer before him. 

“Depends. Who’s asking?”

“Oh thank god I found you,” the other said with a flourish. She collapsed on the stool nearby. “My name is Takamaki Ann. Sakamoto-san sent me. I need your help! My friend is in danger from this dem-”

“Woah woah,” the barista held up a hand, “Slow down.” He took a quick glance around the store before leaning forward. “I can’t talk about this here. Give me 5 mins and meet me upstairs.

“In the meantime,” he pulled back suddenly speaking much louder. “Can I get you a drink?”

“I… ugh,” she sighed, feet tapping on the ground. “Black coffee. Extra cream and sugar.”

“Coming right up.”

\--

There were many things Ann expected to see upon ascending the steps. Perhaps a hidden base, stocked full of weapons. Maybe a hidden library filled to the brim with books obscure and undiscovered. 

What she did not expect to see, was an attic. She was not sure it even qualified as an entire room in of itself, though the owner had clearly made the most of the available space. There was a desk in one corner and a makeshift bed was tucked into the other. Junk piled to the ceiling near the walls but the floor was swept and clearly taken care of. A simple talisman was taped to the windowsill and it fluttered slightly with the breeze coming in.

In other words, it was a painfully boring bedroom.

Yet, she was not alone.

Upon the bed a strange blue haired man sat scribbling furiously away at a pad of paper. While in his hand he did hold a brush, it would be more accurate to say he was writing out various characters then actually drawing.

She stared at the man sitting on the bed.

He continued working away.

“Yusuke we have a guest,” piped up a voice suddenly behind her causing her to jump. She clutched the railing as said owner of the voice breezed past her, a light smirk on his face.

“Mm,” was the grunted response.

“Is he ok?” she began tentatively while untangling herself from the banister. She gave him a pointed look that went completely unnoticed.

Kurusu shrugged. “Artists,” he stated simply as if that explained everything. Which it sort of did, Ann had to begrudgingly admit.

Before she could inquire further, he turned to face her.

“This is Kitagawa Yusuke, my partner here.” He motioned as he explained. “Yusuke, this is Takamaki Ann.” 

Said artist simply hummed in response.

Apparently that was enough of an answer for Kurusu and he turned back to her.

“So… about this request?” Kurusu continued without missing a beat. Ann blinked and straightened herself up, a solemn expression crossing her features. “You said Ryuji sent you after all,” he added on softly.

“It’s… well…”

And this she told him. She spoke softly at first but found herself steadily increasing in volume as she continued onward. She spoke about her friend and the things she had dreamed of and achieved and of the monster who had invaded their happy life. The “demon" she elegantly spat out who wanted all but in return gave back nothing but misery. Those who had refused him came back even worse. Nothing made sense, it was almost like a curse or something beyond. Then, she spoke of how his gaze had fallen upon her.

Kurusu, for as aloof as he came off, had leaned in to her conversation easily. He never pushed her but the words just came tumbling out of her mouth. Kurusu merely gently nodded in agreement or softly replied to keep the conversation moving. 

“I…” she paused. “Well, he… he lately has been asking for favors… from me. I… I want nothing to do with that man. But Shiho… he’s… he knows she’s my friend. I know it’s him behind all this, but no one is doing anything. I’m not sure what will happen to her if I keep turning him down. But, I don’t know what I can do otherwise! We’ve already asked everyone else for help and they refuse to help. There’s no one else left to help!”

“Hey.” She glanced back up. 

“We’ll handle this. We’re not going to let things continue.” There was a strange glint in his eye. Ann breathed out, allowing some of the tension to ease out from her shoulders.

“What’s his name?”

“Kamoshida. Kamoshida Suguru.”

The sound of glass shattering suddenly pierced the air.

Ann froze. Oh no.

Kurusu was hurrying, rummaging through the piles of stuff behind him. He cursed under his breath.

“Were you followed?”

“I… I didn’t think I woul- I am so sorry I didn’t know!”

“Don’t be,” he spoke gently, a sharp contrast to the look that settled on his face. “You stay up here, the wards should be strong enough.” He glanced back over at the other in the room.

“Yusuke!” he stated sharply. The other hummed back in response, still completely absorbed in his work. Ann reached over and tapped him gently on the shoulder. Finally the other looked up…

And jumped back with surprise upon seeing her.

“You’re not Akira! When did we get guests up here?” He paused. “Would you like something to drink?”

Ann stared in disbelief. 

“Yusuke we have a situation,” called Kurusu from the steps.

“We most certainly do, I haven’t the faintest idea if you even keep a kettle up here.”

“Not here. Downstairs.”

“What would be going on-,” he stopped suddenly. “I just put those up last week!”

“They didn’t work. Let’s go.”

“...Very well then,” the other stated while gently placing the notepad (“prayer slips?” her mind supplied) aside and unfolding himself from the bed. He stretched, popping the joints of his hands. And with a hop skip he gently pushed past her and down the stairs. A sudden chill shot through her spine as he passed by. She glanced around. Strange. Had a stray breeze blown in?

\-- 

This really was not becoming a great day for Akira. It started off well enough but with a new case in his hands and possibly more of Sojiro’s property ruined well… he was really not looking forward to seeing the owner in the morning.

Taking the steps two at a time, he landed at the base of the stairs with a thump and scanned the area before him. No one else. What little guests he had before had long left. Everything was exactly how he left it.

Except the rather large hole in the door of course. That was definitely new. The closed sign he had flipped moments before was now just spinning wildly in the empty space. He sighed. Would it really kill them to simply open the door? The handle worked just fine.

The trail of glass led inward stopping neatly at the feet of the large oni standing before him. Bits of paper fluttered about its feet, their protective powers dull and faded. Akira blinked, allowing his vision to adjust as the demon focused into his vision.

Oh of course, it also had a club. Perfect for a shop full of easily breakable dishes. Frustration bubbled ever so slightly in his chest.

“Hey! You there.”

The demon grunted, seemingly surprised by the directness.

“Why are you here?”

The creature before him blinked in confusion at him, but just as quickly it’s expression changed. A smirk slowly began crossing it’s features as it took Akira’s appearance. It probably did not think much of the human standing before it if Akira had to guess.

“I can smell the girl here,” it rumbled lowly, “You are in my way.” And with a roar it began its charge at him. Akira’s eyes widened in response as he jumped to the side, the club clipping the air where his head was a moment ago.

The club continued on and went straight into the stairwell, splintering part of the railing.

Perfect, Sojiro was going to kill him in the morning.

Akira scrambled to his feet. “Could we least take this outside?” he groaned.

The oni roared again, club raised high.

Only to be slammed straight into the wall as a large blur tackled him.

Well Akira could add a few broken chairs to the mix as wooden splinters flew around him. At least Sojiro had been talking about replacing those. He made a quick mental note before turning back to the scuffle before him.

The oni grunted in annoyance but seemed otherwise unaffected as it pulled itself back up. However, now standing between it and Akira was a large snow colored fox. Streaks of red surrounded large glowing yellow eyes. Standing at a height much taller than that of an average fox, the narrow hallway of LeBlanc seemed almost dwarfed by its size.

Ribbon bound tails swished back and forth as it continued growling at the demon before it.

A kitsune.

Club raised high, the oni came charging forth once more, only to pass harmlessly through the space where the creature was a mere moment ago. It nimbly dodged, feet brushing across the top of the booths and landing right behind the demon.

Without missing a beat, it lunged once again. This time, the kitsune opened it’s maw, revealing a row of sharp glistening teeth.

Which clamped right down on the demon’s neck.

The oni roared in pain as blood gushed forth. Club flailing about as he attempted to dislodge the other. The kitsune’s claws dug into it’s flesh, determined to stay put.

_ “Akira! Now!” _

Rushing out from the corner he ducked into, Akira dashed forward. 

As hard as he could, he slapped the talismen straight center onto the demon’s chest.

The kitsune leapt back. 

Spinning around, the oni’s arm shot forward to grab the other. A tail was caught within its grasp.

Time seemed to pause.

It started as a flicker, but in the blink of an eye, it spread. Blue flames began their rush down the demon’s arm as if compelled by some unknown force.

Well, thought Akira as his eyes flickered towards the kitsune, not exactly unknown.

Breaking from his trance, the oni howled and immediately let go of it’s target. Desperately it shook it’s arm in hopes of putting out the flames. The fire surged onwards, uncaring of the oni’s actions.

Just a little further…

The flame gently lapped the edge of the talisman.

In an instant, the magic began its work. The glow began softly but increased as the seconds ticked by. The oni, eyes widening, began desperately clawing at the paper stuck to him, only to screech in pain as the light seared its hand as it brushed against said talismen.

This was the chance.

Reaching back, his hands landed upon the familiar worn leather handle. Akira couldn’t help the smirk that spread across his lips.

“Arsene guide my hand.”

The dagger struck true to its mark. The oni stared in shock at the newly formed gash now featured on its chest. The club slipped from its grasp and clattered to the floor.

“You…” it whispered. “What are you?”

The smirk crossed his face, sitting as if it belonged.

“A human of course.” 

And the demon shattered to dust.

Akira let out the breath he did not know he was holding.

Perfect.

A small gasp from above caught his attention.

Akira and the kitsune glanced at each other.

Well almost perfect.

\--

Kurusu’s memory was pretty good, Ann had to admit. Before her was the exact replica of the drink she had ordered earlier. He had also thrown in a free pastry with it too along with multiple reassurances that she was in no danger from neither the oni nor the giant white fox (“Kitsune actually” he had so helpfully interjected) that was currently pacing about the shop.

Kurusu had taken his place behind the counter once more, seemingly at ease while fiddling with knobs on the coffee machine. She slid slowly into her seat, pulling the chair as close as she possibly could to the countertop. 

“It’s red bean.”

“Huh?”

“The pastry. A hint of chocolate too. It’s good.”

She stared incredulity at him but could not stop the small eep that escaped her mouth as the kitsune brushed past her chair. It was muttering something to itself as it walked, giving her little to no attention. It was familiar in a way.

“Is that-”

“Yusuke. Yeah.”

“Huh?!”

He nudged the platter containing the coffee towards her. “It’s getting cold. But you have questions don’t you?”

She nodded mutely, but graciously picked up her cup.

“But first, it’s strange for an oni to leave their realm. Would this have anything to do with the Kamoshida you speak of?”

\--

Tokyo rarely had fog and what fog it did have tended to only stay for the night and left by the time the morning commute started. Those who managed to glimpse it were truly lucky indeed. While the city itself never slept, the way the clouds snaked their way through the alleyways could almost give an illusion of quiet. The normally piercing city lights smothered gently behind their gloomy blanket. 

It was also when the barrier between the human and the spirit world was at its weakest.

Spirits normally avoided the large cities. The hustle and sheer mass of crowds made it loud and difficult to navigate. The stars were drowned out by the lights and what little nature could be found was sparse and far inbetween. It was easier being in the rural areas, where they would remain undisturbed.

The fog however, was temptation.

The Ginza line had shut down hours ago and would not open for several hours still. But this was of no concern.

Afterall, not just anyone could say they have ridden on the back of a fox.

Fistfuls of long white silky fur wove themselves between his fingers, securing his grip. Glancing up, he squinted at the buildings that flew past them.

Riding a kitsune was much different than riding a horse. Where a horse would strike the ground with harsh hoofbeats and jolt the rider, there was something soft, almost light about the way a kitsune moved. Each paw strike was completely silent as the ground was eaten up beneath them.

“Are we close?”

“_ His aetherial trail remains, _ ” the other sniffed through paused to glance about. “ _ He tangled it within the crowd as if that alone would mask it. What a gaudy and slothful display of power. It is an affront to my senses. He could not have made it more obvious if he tried _.”

Picking through the words, Akira nodded, and returned his focus to keeping grip on Yusuke’s back.

Akira focused, allowing his vision to settle once more. They had stopped in a nearby park. The fog had blanketed the world around them but left this area almost untouched. From here the stars were ever so faintly visible yet the moon shone in full keeping their path lit.

The spiritual energy radiated before him. He could almost make out the outline of a rather large building in the distance. Getting closer.

\--

“What do you know about kitsune?” Kurusu-you-can-call-me-Akira began.

“Well, they’re foxes. They have tails?” Ann stated plainly. She glanced behind her. “And are sometimes people.”

“Glamours and illusions. The limit is their imagination.”

“I see…” an unreadable expression crossed her face before settling on a small frown. “Aren’t you worried I’ll tell on you?”

Akira shrugged. “You won’t. You’re not that type of person.”

Ann blinked, unsure if she should feel flattered or insulted by his nonchalance. A loud thump suddenly sounded through the shop interrupting that line of thought.

Wordlessly Akira got up and walked where the kitsune was happily chattering away to himself at the now seemingly fixed door. “Yusuke, the door needs to look like how it originally looked,” he stated after glancing it once over. 

“_ Isn’t it more pleasing this way? The dashes of red add a fiery brashness to the structure and thus invoking a feeling of passion! A true welcome to any patron of this fine bistro! _”

It was the same voice as before but had a strange almost echo like quality to it. The kitsune’s mouth certainly had not moved to produce the sound yet there it was, ringing through her head.

“Sojiro will notice.”

“_ Oh _.” The red swirls faded from the door frame allowing the faded wooden surface to appear once more. She watched as Akira quietly thanked him and gave him an affectionate pat behind the ears. A happy chirp followed which was also followed by a slight curl of his lips. It would be adorable if she had not just seen the same set of jaws tear through the neck of a demon not even an hour ago.

Yusuke, clearly pleased with himself, sauntered past her once more to work on hiding any other damage left behind. 

\--

The castle was sorely out of place within the city. Tokyo was a closely packed place and allowed for no room for a building as such. It flickered and faded in and out of visibility as the fog shuffled along. If anything it gave Akira a headache to look at.

Phenomenons like these were exceedingly uncommon. For one it said something of the strength of the owner if something this large was able to manifest itself out of the spiritual realm. It was a beacon for spirits for miles around. Granted, it was never a beacon for anything good, that would be far too simple.

Someone had dipped too heavily into the spirit realm. It was possible to gain something almost supernatural in exchange for some snippet of humanity. In small amounts, the effects were near unnoticeable. 

Some however were far greedier than others.

The walls of the castle loomed ominously from above but that was hardly a deterrent for Akira. This was a far cry from his first infiltration.

“Ready Yusuke?”

“_ Ever and always. _”

The barrier between worlds blurred as the kitsune dashed forward, rider and all.

\--

Corridors swirled before them leading every which way. Though, as numerous as the hallways were before them, greater still was the number of demons and spirits that wondered its lengths. The one demon that had visited LeBlanc before was clearly only a taste of what the castle contained.

To gather in numbers such as these, brought a hint of worry to his mind. Well actually no, that was a lie. One angry rampaging demon was enough as is, a mob was out of the question. He gripped his head as it throbbed. The sheer aetherical concentration here was giving him a headache.

Yusuke made a concerned noise from behind him. Looking back, he gave him a small smile to reassure him as the other drew closer.

A master of illusions as he was, he was also of no match for what lied before them. Yusuke was smaller now, thin and human.

Easier to hide.

His hand fit snugly into his as they darted around the dark corners. The grip was tight, but welcomed. Together, they continued onwards.

\--

For all the subterfuge, Kamoshida was surprisingly simple to defeat. Beyond the guards and gradious castle, there simply was not much left to put up a fight. Putting all into a showy front left the core dangerously exposed.

Giving carelessly to the first voice that answered your call was dangerous business. It felt almost ridiculous to say he defeated him. Rather he merely helped set things into motion. Lust consumed itself after all.

\--

Akira sat at the edge of the castle wall. With it’s ruler gone, it would all be gone by the morning with the fog. For now, the cool air lazily combed through the strands of his hair. There was no need to rush. Bits of the night sky poked out from above. It was peaceful, almost deceivingly so. The lights of cityspace twinkled just out of reach, dampened by the fog’s haze.

The sound of softly paddling footprints pulled his eyes away from the star dotted skyspace. Yusuke, a kitsune once more, trotted casually towards him, something long and red gripped in his maw.

“_It would not do you good to catch a cold,_” he answered to the wordless question, tossing it over the other’s shoulders. “_There were many, this one shall not be missed. Besides, it’s your color._”

It was red, that was for certain. A thick black line weaved itself around the bottom hem. He could feel bits and pieces of kitsune magic running through its fibers. The flame that had seared through the demon before, now warmed the fabric and gently caressed his shoulders. There was no telling where the fabric came from, but Akira could not find it in himself to care as the heat chased away the nip in his fingers. Reaching over, he gently patted the other’s cheek.

“Thank you.”

He lifted the edge of the blanket slightly and patted the ground near him.

“The sun will rise soon. Perhaps this view would prove inspirational.”

A shift and suddenly long stringy limbs were awkwardly burrowing their way through the cloth. A mop of blue hair popped out suddenly from the tangle, a tangled mess from their normally carefully combed coiffure. It clashed horribly against the bright fabric yet Akira would not have preferred any other view. Pulling the other in, he stretched the blanket across them both.

Legs swinging, they watched the sun rise.

\--

The minutes crawled on by.

“From what you’ve told me, you wouldn’t just find a kitsune running around in our realm,” Ann pondered, staring down the last bite of her pastry. “What did you give in exchange?”

In his pocket, a small bead rolled between his fingers. 

“My heart.”


End file.
